HATE cleric Abu Qatada will today walk free from his prison cell after winning his latest bid to dodge deportation to Jordan.

In a humiliating blow for Home Secretary Theresa May, a senior judge yesterday blocked her attempts to kick out the extremist preacher to face terror charges in his home country.

Home Office lawyers immediately sought to appeal.

But president of the Special Immigration Appeals Commission Mr Justice Mitting refused to sanction the move and allowed Qatada to be released on strict bail conditions.

Last night it emerged it will cost taxpayers an estimated £100,000 a week to ensure Abu Qatada keeps to his bail conditions.

A surveillance operation involving a team of police officers will be required to monitor his every move.

The Government has bent over backwards to satisfy the demands of the European Court of Human Rights after the British courts had given the all‑clear to kick him out

Tory MP Priti Patel

Yesterday a furious Mrs May vowed to continue the fight to get rid of the cleric and hit out at the UK's top immigration judge, telling MPs she "strongly disagreed" with the ruling.

She said Jordan had changed its constitution to prohibit torture and the use of evidence obtained by torture. But Mr Justice Mitting said yesterday the Home Secretary had "not satisfied" him there was "no real risk" that tainted statements would be used. The Home Office can seek permission from the Court of Appeal to challenge it.

Qatada's appeal is the latest legal battle he has fought over eight years to stay in Britain. Keeping Qatada, 51, his wife and five children in the country he claims to despise has already cost over £3million in legal aid, prison, surveillance costs and benefits.

When Qatada, once described as Osama Bin Laden's right-hand man in Europe, leaves Long Lartin high-security prison in Worcestershire today, he will be subjected to a 16-hour curfew at his family home in north-west London, and forced to wear an electronic tag. He will also have tight restrictions on his visitors, phone calls and internet use.

Tory MP Priti Patel said: "The Government has bent over backwards to satisfy the demands of the European Court of Human Rights after the British courts had given the all-clear to kick him out."